There are many different types of grips used today for a wide variety of items, including without limitation, golf clubs, tools (hammer handles, screwdrivers, etc.), racquets (racquet ball, squash, badminton, or tennis racquets), bats (baseball or softball), pool cues, umbrellas, fishing rods, etc. While particular reference for this disclosure is being made to the application of golf club grips, it should be immediately apparent that the present disclosure is applicable to other grips as well.
Slip-on golf club grips made of a molded rubber material or synthetic polymeric materials are well known and widely used in the golf industry. The term “slip-on” as employed herein refers to a grip that slides on to a shaft or handle and is secured by way of an adhesive, tape, or the like. Slip-on grips are available in many designs, shapes, and forms.
Golf club grips historically have been made of a wide variety of materials such as leather wrapped directly on the handle or leather wrapped on sleeves or underlistings that are slipped on to the handle, or more recently rubber, polyurethane or other synthetic materials are used. Efforts are constantly being made to improve the gripping quality of the grip without sacrificing the torsional resistance of the grip on the handle or club. Currently, there is great interest in the so-called dual durometer grips which are grips that apply two layers of different materials with varying hardness to provide a grip that has good grip feel and still provides good swing performance.
Thus, there still exists a need for a hand grip that includes a relatively soft outer layer with frictional gripping qualities and tactile feel for a comfortable gripping surface and control, yet has a firm inner layer to minimize torque and maximize responsiveness when swinging a club or handle.